Ownership Mentality Value

This transcript discusses the importance of ownership mentality as a core company value at Morning Brew, highlighting how it shaped their success and company culture.

Ownership Mentality as a Core Value

• One of two critical core values established early at Morning Brew
• Defined as "act like you're an owner" of the business
• When you own something, you:
  • Critique it every day
  • Provide consistent feedback
  • Care deeply about quality
  • Drive improvements daily

The Underdog Mentality Connection

• Paired with "ownership mentality" was an "underdog mentality"
• Team approached work as "misfits" with no media industry experience
• Compared to March Madness underdogs who play loose without pressure
• Created a mindset of "we're going to kick the shit out of legacy media companies"
• Questioned how competitors wasted large funding ($100M) while they operated efficiently

Content Quality Standards

• Alex was "maniacal" about content quality
• Believed the standard of the business is what you allow
• Feared that accepting suboptimal content would establish a lower standard
• By not addressing mediocre work, you implicitly approve it as acceptable

Leadership Approach

• Austin regrets not permanently establishing these core values
• Values were "messed around with" rather than written in stone
• The founders' youth (early 20s) contrasted with their mature approach to business
• Sam Parr noted their unusual maturity: "It's crazy how mature you guys were at such a young age"

Driving Forces

• Alex was motivated by:
  • His father's death and feeling responsible for providing for family
  • Being bullied from 5th-12th grade and wanting to prove his worth
• Austin created "opponents in his head" to drive competitive spirit
• Both had deep conviction they would succeed despite being a small operation

Business Growth Context

• In February 2018, they had:
  • $3.1 million in revenue
  • 10 employees
  • Grew from 100,000 to 1 million subscribers that year